Wobbling, Peyton has an edge vs. Texans

Updated 11:25 pm, Saturday, September 22, 2012

Photo: John Bazemore, Associated Press

Image 1of/15

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 15

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) reacts after being sacked by the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) reacts after being sacked by the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos throws the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during their game at the Georgia Dome on September 17, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos throws the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during their game at the Georgia Dome on September 17, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

Image 4 of 15

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos throws the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during their game at the Georgia Dome on September 17, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos throws the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during their game at the Georgia Dome on September 17, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

Image 5 of 15

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos reacts after a play against the Atlanta Falcons during a game at the Georgia Dome on September 17, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 17: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos reacts after a play against the Atlanta Falcons during a game at the Georgia Dome on September 17, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

Image 6 of 15

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) works against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) works against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) calls a play at the line of scrimmage during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Denver, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) calls a play at the line of scrimmage during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Denver, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012.

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 26: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 and quarterback Brock Osweiler #6 of the Denver Broncos warm up on the field before a pre-season game against the San Francisco 49ers at Sports Authority Field Field at Mile High on August 26, 2012 in Denver, Colorado.

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 26: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 and quarterback Brock Osweiler #6 of the Denver Broncos warm up on the field before a pre-season game against the San Francisco 49ers at Sports Authority

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning gives instructions on a pass route during NFL football practice at the team's training facility in Englewood, Colo., on Wednesday, May 30, 2012.

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning gives instructions on a pass route during NFL football practice at the team's training facility in Englewood, Colo., on Wednesday, May 30, 2012.

Photo: AP

Image 15 of 15

Wobbling, Peyton has an edge vs. Texans

1 / 15

Back to Gallery

Practice opened, and the media filed in. This was last Thursday in Denver.

The Broncos were finishing a practice drill, and that's when Peyton Manning warned the press to take a step back from the field to avoid danger.

“Those wobblers still hurt,” he said, “if they hit you in the head.”

Those wobblers. Manning might as well have been shooting another ad, playfully kicking his brother, working the joke for the cameras.

But within his humor was an edge. One week after everyone announced Manning was back, they were announcing he was old and throwing wobblers. And that's why the Texans aren't the only ones primed today to show what they have.

Manning is primed, too.

Nothing is what it has been, and this begins with the Texans. When Manning was winning 12 games a year in Indianapolis, the Texans were losing about the same number. Given that, when the Texans chose not to pursue Manning last spring, Bob McNair's bravado was laughably hollow.

“We beat him when he was healthy,” the Houston owner said then, “and we'll do it again.”

Most Popular

The Texans beat him, all right. Twice in 18 tries. The only teams Manning has a better quarterback rating against are teams he has played three times or fewer (Detroit, New Orleans and Arizona).

But Manning's lifetime record against Houston isn't relevant today. His starting streak ended a year ago with the Texans as the opponent, and everything has reversed since. It begins with Wade Phillips and a defense that Manning didn't see when he last played Houston on Nov. 1, 2010.

“Our whole mentality is different,” Brian Cushing told reporters last week. “When we played Peyton in the past, it was that bend-but-don't-break mentality. ... What we do now is the complete opposite. We set the tone. We attack, we come after people.”

Manning, at his best, never minded that. He would inspect the defense in front of him, then audible, then audible again.

No one doubts he can still do that. But can he take advantage of what he sees?

After the opener against Pittsburgh, no one asked that question. Manning was nearly perfect, and Sports Illustrated reacted accordingly. He was on the cover with this headline:

“What, You Doubted Him?”

Then came Atlanta, and seemingly everyone is doubting him. Manning threw three interceptions in the first quarter, and a late-game note added to it.

The Denver rookie, Brock Osweiler, began warming up with about two minutes left. And afterward, he told the media why. Had there been a Hail Mary, Osweiler was going to throw it.

Didn't that confirm all suspicions? Didn't that suggest Manning's arm was dead?

Osweiler is 6-foot-7 and throws farther than Manning ever has. Besides, what if the Broncos were backed up to their own 40-yard line? If Manning struggles to throw a football 70 yards, does that mean he's unable to throw into seams?

The questions are not meritless. Manning is 36, and he's coming off a series of neck operations, and he didn't play last season.

Still, after the interceptions in Atlanta, Manning showed signs he will be fine. He threw a rope in the second quarter to Demaryius Thomas that a Falcons defender broke up with a hit, and another 35-yard fastball later went through the hands of Eric Decker.

“He hummed it,” Decker said.

As the game went on, Manning adjusted. As awful as that first quarter was, he found enough to give the Broncos a chance to win.

If anything, Manning has needed time to adjust to a new team and new offensive coordinator. If anything, last week was the kind of over-reaction that follows so many NFL games.

So the Texans should beware today. Wobblers can hurt, and so can Hall of Fame quarterbacks with an edge.